Geisha - My Story

I know that only a few, select people will be interested in reading my story. Maybe your interest was captured by the word geisha, and you wished to find out what one was. Maybe you thought you knew what a geisha is, and were after a lascivious story! Or maybe you know geisha, and wanted to find out about my life. After all, geisha must have much more interesting lives than normal people!

I used to be called Yamada Sakyou, but now I am Mameo. Let me start from my childhood, from my life as Sakyou.

I was born and grew up in Osaka. I went to school and lived my childhood as a normal Japanese girl, normal except for the fact that my parents divorced. I don't remember much about it, other than a few half-remembered images of my father. I was teased in school by the other students - I was the only child who's parents had split up.

A withdrawn child, I found more interest in Japanese culture - music, the arts - than modern, westernised entertainment. It was a way of getting away from the other students - most of them couldn't care less about Japanese dance and theatre or the tea ceremony. The few students who were in the club were my only friends... but we were never very close.

I was a late developer, and rather shy... I also hated exams and feared the thought of going to university. I somehow managed to get into one of the local high schools (with a lot of help and encouragement from my mother, who was the only person I was ever close to), but I didn't like it at all.

When I heard about maiko (apprentice geisha) in the Gion, I decided to pack it in and become one, too. High school and a normal job just didn't seem right for me. (I was never normal, I don't think.) But to become a geisha! I was in love with the idea. I had fantasies about seeing myself, beautiful in silk kimono, my hair up, being seen as elegant and clever! To have people looking at me in awe! To be talented with music and dancing, to have everything I could ever want in life! Ah!

My mother, though, was still supportive of my choice. She did try to change my mind - I'm not sure that her image of her daughter's future was the same as mine - but she did her best for me.

Still young, I left home and went to live in the okiya with mama-san (the owner of our little okiya), and Mameko, her only geiko (In the Gion, geisha are known as geiko).

My horoscope was checked, and the name Mameo was found auspicious. The 'mame' sound came from Mameko's name, but the ending was for me. From now on, I was no longer Sakyou, I was Mameo. I was maiko, not just an ordinary girl.

It took a long while to get used to this life - I didn't realised how free I'd been before. I had to be up early hours, and to bed so late every night! I had school to do - to learn to sing, to dance, to play the shamisen and more - every day, and chores to do around the okiya when I returned. I had to help Mameko dress and help her with makeup... I had so much to learn before I could even put on makeup of my own, or to do up my hair in the traditional maiko style! All of the training and beautiful outfits slowly helped me overcome the shyness my classmates has instilled in me. I was like a butterfly, coming out of a cocoon as my time at the okiya went on!

Eventually mama-san decided that I was ready, and (though still young), I was able to wear the okiya's maiko outfits, to have my makeup and hair done... and to go with Mameko to her various engagements, and to be introduced to her clients!

My life went on like this, until one day.... my letters and phone calls to my mother had slowed, but there was a time that I could no longer get in contact with her. I didn't worry, really. She had been sick for a while, but the doctors had said that there was nothing to worry about (or so mother said in her letters). The next message I received was one telling me that my mother had died... I read and reread the letter, alone in my room, not believing it. But I found that I could hardly read the letter, through the tears.

I realised that I could no longer stay at the okiya - my life was too filled with pain. I just wanted to escape - to leave my Osaka, to leave anywhere that might remind me of my mother.

I informed mama-san, and told her that my whole world had been turned upside down. That I must leave and sort out my affairs - I was my mother's only child. Somehow I was let out of the okiya, and I found myself back home. But I had a debt to pay mama-san and Mameko.

I sold the house... with this money I went back and paid mama-san what I owed her for the cost of training me, for some kimono. I organised for a small apartment near the okiya while awaiting the funeral, but I still continued to train with Mameko. What else could I do? I did not want to be left alone to think. The forced gaiety of the parties seemed to soothe my heart, just for a little while. I needed that.

Being on my own was difficult to manage. I still needed them for my beautiful outfits and for help and advice. I still had to help out at the okiya - Mameko and mama-san could not do everything themselves - but, somewhere along the line, I managed to get my own independence, my own life. It was very unusual for a maiko to live on her own - usually only some geiko can manage this, if they were successful! But I was ... different. I always had been.

Though life was a struggle - paying my own bills, trying to figure out where I could go, going to school every day and parties every night with (and without, when I learned enough) Mamako - eventually mama-san decided that I was skilled enough...

I was to become a fully fledged geiko!

The usual ceremonies were performed, with most of Gion there watching, congratulating me. It was wonderful! No longer did I have to wear the red in my hair and around my neck! I could put on the more grown up white, the more mature kimono of a geiko. I did miss the vibrant colours, especially the reds... but I was now a young geiko.

By now, it was rather difficult trying to keep hiding from the people of Gion, to control my feelings (I always saw a cherry tree we used to sit under at the Cherry Blossom festival, or a temple at New Year, or even a shop we bought our food).

It was time to leave.

I spoke with mama-san, and together we came to arrangement - she would talk with another mama-san in Tokyo, and see if I could go there to live. I knew many people in Gion - the rich and powerful men who could afford to hire myself and Mameko - but they were clients. I did not have a danna (a man to be my sponsor). Maybe, if I had one, he could have helped me move to Tokyo... but I relied on mama-san. I do not think that even the most friendly of the clients would be willing to help a new geiko leave Gion for Tokyo, where they will never see her again!

Anyway, my horoscope said that the direction of Tokyo was right for me, and that my future will be bright if I move! (We geiko are a superstitious lot.) So out of all of Japan, Tokyo was the place for me! Somewhere vibrant and new, filled with energy and vitality! A place where I might be able to work with a taikomochi, the male version of a geisha! A place of fun and excitement! Somewhere that wouldn't remind me of my mother.

Despite the fact that Gion geiko and Tokyo geisha were very different, mama-san was sure that I'd be a hit in Tokyo. She really didn't understand why I had to leave - I was like a daughter to her, she said - but she and Mameko wished me the best.

And so off I went to Tokyo, to live my life... maybe I will even be popular in Tokyo?

This story came into being for a character that I am using for a Role Playing Game. I find that geisha are very interesting - they are not at all about sex (if they do have sex, that is the geisha's business - they are not prostitutes!), as many people believe. They are traditional artists (geisha means 'art person'), appreciated by those who are interested in Japanese culture. Unfortunately there are less and less people interested in Japanese culture (even in Japan), and there are less and less geisha. A whole tradition is dying out, due to apathy (and lack of cash, I guess), and I find that sad. It's even worse for the taikomochi - there are only five of these men left in Japan. But geisha and taikomochi pander to the tourist trade, these days. You can go and dress up as a maiko or geisha at some places, and have your photo taken. There are possibly even tea houses that you can visit to see geisha. Business men will take foreigners to see geisha to entertain them... But it's still sad.

If you're interested in role playing a geisha, hopefully this will help with your own background... or if you're just interested in general information on geisha, I hope you found this useful, despite it's story-form. (Sometimes a story is better than just plain, dry information!) And if you're reading it as a story, I hope it was a good read!

Immortal Geisha - a fascinating web site about geisha - the history, lifestyle, training, makeup, pictures and much more. It has a very large number of geisha resources listed, including books, audio-visuals and other websites.

Geisha Tour - A small page with some information about the hanamachi and o-chaya in Gion. It suggests how best to arrange to see geisha.

Meet a Geisha/Maiko in Kyoto - Peter MacIntosh has half day and full day tours of Kyoto, including finding out and even meeting geisha, or attending a geisha party!

Peter MacIntosh - Geisha Photography - Peter MacIntosh's photo gallery, along with future information about tours of Kyoto and visual arts. The site is currently under construction, though there are some photos in the photo gallery.

Geisha - Japan Photo Guide - A site showing different photos of geisha and maiko, along with where to find them when you are in Japan.

Benihana - Geisha - A nicely constructed page on the culture, society and some history of the geisha.

Geisha (Geiko) - An Australian site with information on both geiko and maiko, as well as ukiyo-e pictures and photos of geisha.

MAICA - A site focusing on maiko. MAICA, in Kyoto, is a place where you can go and dress up as a maiko for a few hours. The site has good photos of maiko (or people dressed up as maiko).

These beguiling portraits of old-time Japanese courtesans are drawn from the ukiyo-e, woodblock prints of the "floating world" of fashion, entertainment, and sensual pleasures. Twelve colorful postcards depict demure and flamboyant geishas, faces pale under their elaborate coiffures, all splendidly arrayed in traditional costumes. The easily detached cards retain their crisp edges.

This is the story of a contemporary Japanese teenager who, in a search for an identity, became fascinated with the world of geisha, and discovered in herself the will and the commitment to embark on the many years of apprenticeship necessary to become one.

The most comprehensive assembly of geisha images ever compiled in a book, this rich assembly of nearly 600 exquisite postcard photographs - produced primarily between 1900 and 1940 -- offers a window into the rarified world of Japan's now-extinct licensed pleasure districts. Historical background and imagery explore the lives and talents of Japan women in the early 20th century, and prove a captivating page turner.

Renowned throughout the world as purveyors of beauty, mystery, and allure, geisha have come to represent the epitome of Japanese elegance and chic. The rich 250-year history of these performance artists is vividly presented in this volume, taking the reader behind the mask-like makeup and into the studios where they train and rehearse and into the teahouses where they entertain. Geisha have altered definitions of feminine beauty and identity and are the prevailing icons of Japanese womanhood. Their influence on Japan's decorative arts is documented by their beautiful kimono and hair ornaments and by the musical instruments and fans they use in their performances. The contributors to this book, all prominent specialists on Japanese culture, each consider a particular aspect of geisha tradition and aesthetics, from their music and dance to misperceptions of the profession by foreigners, from the portrayal of geisha as recurring characters in the theatre and film to profiles of talented women who choose this life and work today. Illustrated with woodblock prints and paintings as well as historical and contemporary photographs, this groundbreaking study also explores the dynamic tension between image and reality in the art of these exquisite entertainers. Geisha: Beyond the Painted Smile is a comprehensive presentation of geisha culture from its origins nearly three centuries ago to contemporary Japan. Disciplined performance artists of supreme grace and beauty, geisha are unique ambassadors of Japan's traditional culture.

The glamorous world of Kyoto's geisha is familiar to many readers. This book presents a different view, one that bears little resemblance to the elegant geisha quarter frequented by illustrious patrons. Masudo Sayo was a geisha at a hot springs resort, where the realities of sex for sale are unadorned by the trappings of wealth and power. In accordance with tradition, she first worked as a servant while training in the arts of dance, song, shamisen, and drum. In 1940, when she was sixteen, she made her debut as a geisha.

The first Japanese actress of modern times, Sadayakko (1871-1946) shared the stage with Isadora Duncan and influenced Puccini's writing of Madame Butterfly. Like many geisha, who were considered social outcasts, Sadayakko married into the theater at age 19 by choosing a husband, Otojiro, from among the "riverbed beggars," as actors were then known. She joined him on stage during his troupe's first American tour, but soon she became a bigger star than he.

Exotic and mysterious, Japan's geishas have long enthralled westerners. But who are they, exactly? Take a fascinating peek into the geisha's world of tradition and ritual with the help of a most unique book. Four see-through vellum sections, of four layers each, begin with a "naked" geisha; they show, stage by stage, how a geisha's unique costume and make-up are assembled. You'll view the subtle changes of appearance through the round of seasonal events, and the elaborate array of equipment, from wigs to fans to clogs, in the geisha's wardrobe, as well as everything she needs to do her demanding jobs. Equally revealing is the incredibly detailed information about the women's lives and history; the minute gradations of rank; and their rigorous training. An entire network of dance schools, teahouses, temples, and offices revolve around the geisha and her work. This is a unique and illuminating look at a riveting subject.

Geisha ... at the slightest evocation of this little Japanese word there appears instantly before the eyes of Westerners a succession of images swaying gently between languorous voluptuousness and erotic fantasy. And yet, far from being a simple "creature" destined to satisfy carnal pleasures, the "geisha" sums up the quintessence of Japanese refinement. A source of inspiration for print artists who took the curve of a shoulder, the roundness of a breast and the delicacy of a neck to satiation, she embodies, above all, the ideal "Woman." This intelligent and cultured coutesan is simultaneously musician, poet and dancer. Westerners prefer to celebrate in her the myth of the girl-woman, mid-way between spouse and doll.

This was a fantastic book about the life of Mineko Iwasaki, atotori of the Iwasaki geiko family in Gion. It went through from her early life, through her becoming a maiko and a geiko until she left the geiko community and what she is doing today. The book has a lot of interesting information about geiko and their habits and corrects some of the misconceptions of geisha that may have been brought up in Memoirs of a Geisha. Fantastic reading.

This books had a lot of information on the history of geisha - from the history of the predecessors of the geisha (including the original male geisha) until now, with snippets from geisha in different areas of Japan today.

I don't have a copy of this book, but you can see images of pages of the book at this site.

A fascinating look into the world of the Geisha through the 400-year-old art of Ko-Uta, the traditional song form sung to three-stringed shamisen music. A vivid evocation of the romanticism of feudal Japan.

This has a lot of information on what happens inside the geisha world, as Liza Dalby actually became a geisha for a while, so it has a lot of information about the modern workings on the geisha society in Kyoto.

This has many photographs of clothing and other items relating to the geisha - from the geta they wear to the little things the maiko wear in their hair in the different seasons to the different styles of cloth that they geisha wear at different times of the year. This is very good for actually seeing their clothing and makeup and such. It's a photo book more than anything, unlike the previous two books.

Another photo book, this book only has a little information about geisha, some of which seems based on Memoirs of a Geisha. It has some good photos, and a lot of vintage photos of geisha and other Japanese vintage photos.

Cobb is a staff photographer at National Geographic and has been the recipient of numerous awards for her work. These photos provide an intimate portrayal of geishas in the modern world. An introduction by Ian Burham offers interpretation of Cobb's portraits, and Cobb's own well-researched essay sets the context.

Being only in NTSC format, this video isn't avaliable in Australia, so I have been unable to get a copy.
The Secret Life of Geisha takes an unprecedented look at one of Japan's most enduring, exotic, and misunderstood traditions. Narrated by Susan Sarandon and featuring Arthur Golden, author of the bestseller Memoirs of a Geisha, this mesmerizing documentary enters a forbidden world "shrouded in mystery and steeped in ritual".

Special thanks go to Axia Hirayama for showing me a number of these links! Thank you!

Seventy-Year of Creating Hairstyles - A great two page interview with a Japanese hairdresser who works with the old fashioned mage styles with photos and descriptions of how Tokue Yumioka makes the Shimeda style.

The World of Bunraku - This is the final installment in a four-part series about wig making and hair dressing, it talks about making wigs for puppets, without images, but it could be changed slightly to work for wigs for people.

Japanese Hairstyles - A page about traditional Japanese hairstyles worn from the Kofun period to the early Showa period.

Nomenclature - A small Japanese page with link drawings, showing which parts of the hair are used to make the Japanese style mage.

Featured Chignons - A Japanese page with line drawings and a few instructions on how to turn one hairstyle into a chignon.

Doing Up the Japanese Hairstyle - A Japanese with with small photorgaphs of how to do up a long haired wig into a Japanese style, with photos of the equipment used.

A white fan
spreading out
lasting forever
the firm pledges
like the silver node of the fan
shimmering in shadows
the boughs of pine trees
the splendid leafy color of
a deep green
the clearness of the pond
in the garden approached
undisturbed by waves of wind
the surface of the water
What an enviable life,
don't you think?

* * *

I got up and opened the shoji screen,
and looked out on the full moon night,
but there was nothing there,
but a cuckoo crying to himself.

* * *

I know she is light and faithless,
but she has come back half-repentant,
and very pale and very sad.
A butterfly needs
somewhere to rest at evening.

* * *

When it's the man I love
he goes by and doesn't come in
but men I hate -
a hundred times a day

* * *

When I pour sake
for the man I love
even before he drinks up
I blush like a cherry blossom

* * *

You and me
we live inside an egg
me, I am the white
and wrap you round with my body

* * *

Tonight as I sleep alone
I am on my bed of tears
like an abandoned boat
on the deep sea

* * *

I dreamed we were back together.
My laughter woke me up.
I searched frantically all around me,
My eyes full of tears.

* * *

The loves of a little while ago
and the smoke of tobacco
little by little leave
only ashes

* * *

When I've got the blues
as deep and deep can be
I want to pass the rest of my life
as a nun